Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns show us your shotguns

OK I will admit that I am a gun nut and have a few custom rifles, but shotguns are my thing. I really like figured wood and have been known to buy a gun just because of the figure in the wood. So let's see your shotguns. The rifle guys like to show their stuff off, so why not us shotgun nuts.

I will start:
My K-80 30" trap barrels with Briley screw in chokes and sub gage tube to shoot skeet with. The stock was custom made to fit me and has 32 lpi checkering.

It all started in the early 80's with this gun. It is a Ruger Red Label 20 ga with the blued receiver.





this is my trap gun. A Browning Special Trap with 32" barrels and an Anton Rollover custom stock.

Next up is my pride and joy. It is a Winchester 101 XTR light weight that belonged to my best friend. When he got killed his wife gave me this gun and I had this custom stock made for it a tribute to him.
It is a 20 ga with right at 28" barrels and 32 lpi checkering. I ask for 20 lpi as this is my field gun but the stock maker said it was too nice a piece of wood not to do 32 lines on, so that is what I got.





note the way he did the patterns and had them tie together with just diamond. He told me what he was going to do, but I did not understand until I say it myself.

ok there are 4 of mine, lets see some of yours.
I will post some more later....

Stunning set of doubles there pullit. They litteraly put my go to gun to shame.
Well, crud, I thought I had a better image of it.

:just dandy, a link. gotta' figure out posting images:

that is no chunk of firewood sir, that is a great looking stock.
Is that an A-5 or a Model 11 or one of the other A-5 clones?

Thanks for the compliment, but ya' ain't seen it in person.

She's a pre-war (1939) A5 in 16 gauge. Since I didn't want to molest the factory barrel I added a spare and had it tubed.

All in all I should have turned it over to Donnie, but a fella's got to try his first tang gun sometime. Do yer'self a favor, steer away from burl woods. They're a PITA to get an even surface and then the finish will foam until the seal is complete. This one took 6-7 coats of thinned AG before it quit foaming.

by the way, welcome to the fire....

A sweet 16 with wood like that, man it does not get any better...

That is a really fine piece of wood...you did well.

Excellent work.. Is it just the pix and light combo that makes the fore-end look more reddish than the buttstock?

Very nice piece 'o wood...

Cowboy, thought I would help you out.

Ok, I'll share.. Below is an SKB model 880 Crown Grade in 12 gauge and it's my absolutely favorite shotgun.. According to Ithaca (I have a letter from them somewhere around here) they made/imported only 60 of these; half with 30" barrel, half with 32's.. Mine's a 30". A few 880s were made as a combo set and a few in 20 gauge, but overall these are quite rare.. I bought this brand spankin' new in 1980 and it's still in better than 98% condition..







I take it out about once a year for a round of trap just for kicks.. And yeah, it still breaks clays with the best of 'em.. I wouldn't sell it for anything..

very nice. Is that stock the org. or did you have extra checkering cut? I have never seen one checkered like that or that patteren.

It's totally original...

it sure is nice....

Part of it's the lighting, but mainly it's my mistake. I had put it into the barrel to amonia fume when I got a call which took me out of town right pronto. I forgot to take it out of the barrel and no amount of time with the butt would make them match.

I love that checkering pattern on your SKB. I've considered something similar to that on my A5 but as dificult as that stuff is to chisel, it might be a nightmare to checker.

Hey pullit, thanks for the pic. I still haven't read up yet on how to do that.

cowboy, not a problem..
did you make that stock yourself?

I wish. I used the old beat up factory butt to make a pattern that fit me properly and then had Donnie Gemes duplicate it on his pantograph. Sure wish I were that talented though, wouldn't be working a 7-3 five day week at the plant. Semi-inlets are as far as I have advansed so far.

This is true, Old World Craftsmanship. This is a 10 bore on a massive 8 bore frame. A beautiful piece of wood with painstaking handfitting in both wood and locks. A Burmingham England gun with Westley Richards action, Stanton sidelocks, Thomas Kilby & Sons damascus barrels. The engraving is fine and the fences around the hammers as well as the hammers themselves, speak of nothing but craftsmanship. A pleasure to own and shoot, but a tad heavy for a day in the field. It has 32 inch barrels and weighs 12 1/2 pounds....

You sir, make me green with envy.
The only 'old world' double I have is a 1915 Husqvarna Mod.20. But I will brag, she's a lot lighter than 12 1/2#.

Now I'm gonna' hafta' clear my bench again to put a backdrop down.

I love that wood on that gun. I have to admit, I don't own a rabbit ear'ed gun, but have alway had a deep love for them.

12.5 lbs...wow, that is a little heavier than I would want to tote all day...

Wow!!! Those are some beautiful scatter-guns....

I went back to the safe, here is another beautiful original English hammergun. It is made in Birmingham by Hume, an early side lever, damascus shotgun. The engraving is very nicely done with about 60% coverage, with nice fences, reminicent of the carry-over from the earlier percussion era.

It has 2 1/2 inch chambers, rebounding hammers and very nice sidelocks. It is hard to find good guns like this that are as old as this.

Half the fun is owning these, the other half is shooting them...













[img]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/bridgershooters/Humebottom.jpg[/img]

Excuse my ignorance but I've never heard of a process of 'amonia fuming'.. What does that do??

Do you do your own checkering?? That is a true art. I know my own limitations and that's certainly one of 'em.. If you want to do something like that, print the pix and send the stock and pix to Sherry Abraham. I'm betting she can do a job like that..

Those old english shotguns are pure art.. Some day I need to take a couple of hours and make a trip to Duluth, MN and visit 'Pug's Guns'... He's got a high-end collectors shop in a kinda seedy, non-descript area of the city and specializes in big-bux European shotguns.. You'd never know it by looking at the storefront.. Reminds me of the shops one would see in south Chicago or Iraq...

Dang yall, thems some gorgeous shotguns!!!! Phew, absolutely amazing!!!

Redneck
I am not a stock expert but I think the amonia bring out the color in the wood. I know stock makers also steam the wood to do the same type thing.
Cowboy (or anybody else)please correct me if I am wrong about this.

sharpnel
you do have some very nice older shotguns, that is for sure. I have seen several nice older guns but as you said it is hard to find "clean" ones. Looks like you sure did....

Really.... I love to learn something new every day..

The stock below belongs to my second most favorite shotgun; an SKB M800.These were built circa 1980 also.. A guy in Michigan put this up for sale about 5 years ago. I had not seen a M800 before and the condition and price were excellent so I bought it.. Long story short, I could see some faint, nearly black lines in the buttstock, so I removed the wood and finish ( I don't care for urethanes on my shotguns) and noticed that it had been stained with a darker stain that actually covered the grain.. I removed it all, had Sherry Abraham clean up the checkering and refinished it in satin tung oil..

IMHO, this wood is outstanding and should be shown, not hidden with stain..




Something about good wood that makes/breaks the firearm...

Those Winnie M101's are nice firearms.. Good customer of mine probably has about 10 of 'em..

I have a Beretta 391 right now that need the same thing done to it that you did to your SKB. You can see some good figure in the wood but it does not show up thru the finish very well. If you turn it just right you can see it. Been thinking I would tackle that job one of these days, so far I have been thinking that about 3 yrs now.....

You do have some good looking SKB's. I don't think I have ever seen any with the white grip caps before.
I really like the SKB 885 (I think thats the model number). It is the one with the side plates like your 880. I don't remember them (the 885's) having the white grip caps.

There's some very pretty wood on those shotgun's. The only thing that i have in a wood stock anymore is the wife's sweet sixteen and a Remy 1187 Upland Special.

Everything else is either black or camo. syn. bird/rabbit/turkey guns are synthetic, including Beretta 391 and Remy 1100's & 1187's. The places that i bird and rabbit hunt are rough and i worry about scratches and dings.

Beretta 391 for upland birds


Remington 870 Express 12ga. for turkey and waterfowl


H&R 20 ga. for a camp gun

I drooled over the 885s for years.. Never could quite afford one the few times I found one..

The 885 did have the side plates like the 880. To my limited recollection they did not have the white caps.. Only the 880 and 800 had those..

Well, 3 years is enough!! Get going on that refinish! You'll be glad you did when it's over.. The worst part is removing the old crap.. I'm lucky to have a commercial furniture finish stripping business fairly close.. I just send them the wood and it comes back in about a week or so, completely stripped and down to pure wood.. All for $30... Best money spent! I can't begin to do that myself for that kind of bux.. I'd lose my butt..

shrapnel, sir; yesterday you made me green with envy. Now you've really piled it on, yer' killin' me. Pleeease, keep it up.

That Hume is gorgeouse. Exactly the way a double gun should be built.

lochsa
That is a great picture of the 391 and your dog. I see some tiger strip in that stock. Do you have a better photo that shows the entire stock. That photo was a little bit of a tease....

Right you are sir. Amonia fumming reacts with tanic acid in the wood and force ages it. Some woods, such as walnut and oak, contain tanic acid by nature. Maple, as is the case with my A5 stock, needs to have tanic acid introduced. I find it much cheaper to brew up a strong cup of black tea and slobber that on as part of my whiskering stages.

It's kinda' shocking the first time you use this process. You're nice high dollar stock set just turned a nasty yellow/brown mustard yuck color. But fear not, once the whisker is removed and the first coats of finish have been applied the nice rich honey colors will come through.

You gotta' watch walnut though, and I mean that literaly. The color shift may seem gradual for a while, fifteen minutes later you peek in and your wood could be nearly black.

As for stains, I'm with you guys. That stuff's for decks and window sills.

pullit,

I have a couple other photos that are similar. The 391 has good figure in the wood but nothing fancy. If it is in the right light, the tiger stripes really show.

Here is my Franchi Alcione LF 12 guage with a Arizona quail slam...



My 870 express mag, my coyote shotgun!

I went back into the safe and found a couple more nice looking shotguns. These are Winchester 101 Featherweight Pigeon Grades. They have 26 inch barrels and are vented between the barrels to help give the featherweight. One 12 gauge, the other is a 20 gauge.

There seem to be so many Browning shotguns out there, and I have always had a preference for the Winchester. These are not common, but are very nicely made and look good to boot.













[img]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/bridgershooters/100_1115.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/bridgershooters/100_1121.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/bridgershooters/100_1117.jpg[/img]

Nice wood! I notice they're both straight stocks.. I've never been able to shoot one of those comfortably; my wrist just doesn't seem to wanna bend that much..

Very nice examples of Winchester shotguns..

AsphaltCowboy, I really appreciate the information you gave above.. I had absolutely NO knowledge of that process at all.. How do you do the actual fuming process? You mentioned a 'barrel'.. ???

those 101's sure are nice. Winchester could sure build a great shotgun that pointed great. Those are two of the cleanest I have ever seen.

firstcoueswas80
how do you like the Franchi? Everybody I talked to say they kick but they look so good I have thought about buying one anyway....

It's so easy even a cave man could do it.

Be forewarned; once you fume, it CAN NOT be undone. Unlike stain which can be sanded out ammonia fuming is through and through. A four inch square of say maple will be the same color in it's center as it is on the outer surface.

The barrel I use is one of the cardboard dry chemical barrels that our plastic colorant comes in at work. You could simply use a large trash bag, but I always worry about the ammonia gettin' spilt so I use the barrel.

Of all the hardwoods I've no idea which contain tannic acid naturally other than walnut and oak. You won't need it for those. Maple for sure does not, and will need treated. I can't remember for sure about cherry.

Since a quart size tea bag is more convenient and cheaper than buying tannic acid I use those. Put the tea bag in a standard 12oz coffee mug, fill 3/4 or so with water and nuke it in the micro-wave to brew and then let cool.

You can put this on naked wood at any time, but I wait until I'm ready to whisker the stock and use the tea for my first whisker. Just slobber it on and let the stock dry, you can whisker or not afterwards, your choice.

Now for the ammonia and be careful with that stuff, it can strangle ya', best done in a well ventilated area or better yet outside. Half a cup is more than plenty. Put a small dish of some sort in the bottom of the barrel over at the edge where you wont bump it with the stock and pour a bit of ammonia into it. Next place your stock in and cover the barrel. If you use a bag just tie the top shut or clip with a large enough cloths pin or something.

Some woods will react faster and get darker than others, depends on how hard and dense it is. Each individual piece of wood is different. Harder=slower not as dark, softer=faster and darker (this applies to blond woods like maple, walnuts can actually turn black). For a one piece stock of rock maple I just put it in and forget it, Two piece sets can get tricky, unless you specifically requested it you seldom get a forearm blank which was cut from the same area of the wood slab. Even a piece from the same tree may react differently. For these I recommend a simple egg timer. The butt usually is the hardest, so fume it first. Check frequently and when it looks dark enough remove it. The process stops almost immediately. Here is where you really need the egg timer (and where I screwed the pooch with my A5). Set the timer in five minute intervals and check the progress. You can touch it, the ammonia won't harm your hands unless you're sensitive, so take it out and compare it to the butt. When the color starts getting close set the timer for shorter intervals until you get a match. The wood will take on a nasty yuck look on the surface, just ignore that it'll sand off when you do your whisker.

You've really got to watch walnut, too much time in the fumes and it can often turn black or near to it. You can also almost, get a faux ebony if you leave it overnight or longer.

I've had a lousy day so if I've confused you with any of this, let me know, I'll clear it up tomorrow when my head is where it belongs.

I understand all of it but the tea.. What's the tea for in this process??

I can't wait to try this....

I'm not cowboy, but the tea is another way to bring out the color/contrast as opposed to using ammonia.

You might want to use the tea on walnut, or oak.

If I am wrong please tell me, but I think this is what he was saying.

Hmmm... Now, I wonder just who discovered this in the first place?

somebody most likely spilled some on a piece of wood and said "hey look at this".....

LMAO... I think you're EXACTLY right...

Sorry for the confussion guys. I had what had to be the worst day in fifteen years at work yesterday and I,,, well, I had my head up my butt and wasn't thinking to clearly.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Now, let's see if I can clear this up fer y'all.

Tannic acid (it's what's in the tea) and ammonia are what creats the reaction in the wood. Some woods have tannic acid in them and some don't.

Walnuts and oaks already have tannic acid in them. Mother nature put it there so's we don't have to. Ain't that cool of her?
Maple and some of the other blond hardwoods don't have tanic acid so we have to put it on the wood. Mother nature makes us waste a perfectly good teabag. But it's a fair trade if'n ya' ask me, considering what we get in return.

I'm not sure where he got it from, but I found it in Roy Dunlap's book "Gunsmithing" If you don't have one I strongly recommend it. Goood reading.

I love that Franchi! I got it in trade a few years ago for super cheap. The wood on it is amazing, and I can actually shoot the damn thing! I shoot instinctive, so I never use the bead but I can still hit chit! It fits me like a glove, which is surprising as I am 6'3 280 lbs. I have never notice it kicking like a mule. My 870 knocks me pretty good with 3" #4 buck shot for coyotes and jack rabbits.

I love my Franchi! Compared to a 20 guage, it is a little heavy but it performs flawlessly and sits me well!

got any pictures of the whole stock? I really love nice wood.
You and I are about the same size. I am 6'4" and I have lost a little weight (I am on a diet). I was 279 and I am 263 now.
It is hard to find a gun with long enough length of pull.

FN-Browning B 25 "Sp�cial Chasse", 12 ga


Close up of above engraving


Browning B525 "Prestige", 12 ga 3"


J. Bury, 20 ga


Webley & Scott 700, 12 ga

Those look especially yummy... Beautiful wood on that 525.

I know I've had that book but OF COURSE I can't find it right now..


Grrr

man those are nice.
I am so glad I started this thread. I did not know there where this many guy's and gal's on here that had great looking shotguns. I thought everybody just had rifles

Please keep the pictures coming I am learning alot about models of guns I have not seen before...

This is about the best that I have.

Actually, the wood on the gold inlayed B 25 is nicer. This pic shows it better:

While this is not a shotgun but a FN-Browning CCS25 9,3x74R double rifle, it's a close enough parent of the above :

WOW... Whatta rifle!

firstcoueswas80
I would have bought that one as well....that is some nice figure in that wood.

I actually got that thing in a SMOKING trade! I never needed a over/under my 870 always did the trick for me.

I had a well used 22-250 Sendero with a Burris Fullfield II I had for sale... Guy sent me an email with the new shotgun, offered me a straight up trade.. I couldnt turn it down! The gun came absolutely 100% from him. I was very impressed and now I love it! I think the only thing I would trade it for is the same thing in 20 guage, cuz its lighter!

I hunt with a 20 ga for everything but turkey and duck. I am working on a 20 ga set up for turkey....

^ Nothing special really. Just my Mossberg 500 in stock form. No comments on my Transformer sheets please.

I started with an 870 pump and shot it for years. Pumps are hard to be for duck hunting. They will shoot when a lot of autos freeze up....

No chit there pullit. I've got a Marlin 120 Mag you could use for a boat paddle, and it won't fail. Mucho good medicine on prairie chickens to boot.

Renato Gamba Sporter:

Nice, nice wood..

battue
nice all the way around....

Call me nutz over Browning superposed, especially superlights.
Here's a little Diana 3 gauge set from '71 that I regret the most trading away


The next few are from top to bottom, a Midas 20ga superlight, a .410 midas lightning with superlight stock (my plantation quail killer), and a 28ga P3 (since traded away)



Next is a '61 12ga Pointer that I had restored to original:




And a 12ga Midas Superlight:

Those are all super nice....
I think Brownings are hard to beat for the money.
If I had to pick, that Diana 3 gauge set, would get my vote. Thank the good Lord we don't have to pick....

I'd call you nutz for TRADING that beautiful set... Yowza...

Yeah, lets not talk about it. I got a great piece in return, though. The guy that now owns it told me he turned down a $30K offer!
Don
Happy 4th, all........

YOWCH... Talk about rubbing salt on the wound....

You guys have some NICE shot guns. I get by with these.

I cut my teeth on the 20 gauge 870. It was my first firearm purchased new in 1968. It came with a 28 inch full choke barrel and I latter added a 26 inch IC barrel. I bought the Red Label for $600. It's a 12 gauge with IC /Mod 26 inch barrels.

This is a pair of Rizzini/FAIR shotguns, top is an entry level 12 guage Premier, and the bottom on is my 20 guage Safari.
The safari is actually built on a rifle frame, and comes with a set of 6.5X55 barrels also.
Both guns shoot super, and the 20 is especially nice...
Cat

Well its not as purty as what you guys have, But I've got a few cases of shells over a crapload down the tube an have yet to have an issue.

By the way, If anybody see's one of these in a 20gauge LET ME KNOW !!


Smith&Wesson m3000 12gauge

This is not a fancy gun but a family stuff.



I've retreived it yesterday, I had asked the gunsmith to perform some refreshing work. It has been my great grandfather shotgun, made in 1953 (gunmaker still unknown).







That was its condition before refreshing (broken hammer spring, rusty and un-blued metal, scratches everywhere, cleared wood with disappearing checkerings):



It's going to join back my nearly century old external hammers "bayard" shotgun and most recent Browning Ultra XS Tool.

Three shotgun generations, from newest to oldest:

I recognize that first gun, but the name eludes me right now. le'me look around a bit.

it is nice to have a gun that is handed down from family.
Wish I had my grand dads old Winchester

I've owned all sorts of shotguns, but I've gone almost completely vintage.

Marlin Model 90's in 20, 16 and 12. I've put over 20K rounds through the 12ga in the last 2 years.


Remington 31 in 20 ga and early 870 wingmaster in 12 ga.


Weagle

It all started with Weatherby pumps, then Remington, now, Winchester model 12. It rains here, alot, so why bother with a finish, just oil. This one was built in 1914, the wood and choke is later.

got to love the model 12's. I wish I had a dollar for every shell I ever shot thru a Poly choke....

That ole' Winnie looks like she could tell some stories.

I love that look. Well used, well cared for.

I've got an identification thanks to a French hunter who owns a 10 gauge from the same gunmaker: It seems to be a "Joseph Saive".

I ask myself if that Joseph Saive is linked to the famous gun engineer Dieudonn� Joseph Saive ?

Here are few of mine:

Winchester 23 with winchokes, 12 gauge


SKB 400 SXS 12 gauge


Ruger Red Label 20 gauge


SIG/Rizzini TT45 12 Gauge


2 SIGs, one in 12, the other in 20


A couple of 20 gauge Remingtons, Father/son guns

those are some fine looking guns for sure....

I don�t have a camera handy, but here�s my list of shotguns; some are nice and some are quite pedestrian � but I enjoy them all.

12 Bore 2 �� Westley Richards Anson & Deeley Boxlock, non-ejector. 30� Damascus barrels, double triggers choked � & �
12 Bore 2 �� Antonio Zoli Z Gun (Verona LX 980/Zoli Kronos) � Adjustable comb stock on exhibition grade wood, 30� barrels, cased with lots of chokes and accessories
12 Bore 2 �� Browning Auto 5: Made in the early �30�s or there abouts. 28 �� plain barrel, no engraving
20 Bore 2 �� Remington Model 11; 26� solid rib, � choke.
12 Bore 2 5/8� Remington 1889 Hammer Gun; 30� fluid steel barrels choked full/full
12 Bore 2 �� Winchester Model 12; 28� vent rib, choked �
12 Bore 2 �� JC Higgins Model 20 Deluxe; 28� vent rib with Pachmayr Pow-R-Choke
12 Bore 2 �� Winchester Model 1897; 18� barrel, cylinder bore
12 Bore 2 �� Hercules (Stevens 1929) single shot; 32� plain barrel, full choke
.410 Bore 2 �� Hercules (Stevens 1929) single shot; 26� plain barrel, full choke
.410 Bore 3� Stevens �Springfield� Bolt Action; 28� plain barrel, full choke

my only two

Remington 870 Express 12 ga
IAC Coach Gun - 12 ga

here's one of my favourites, a Merkel combo 2 barrel set 16/16 and 16/7x57R

castnblast - A lot of drilling and combo guns have their shotgun barrels regulated to the rifle barrel for use with a slug. Ever try slugs out of your combo barrel?

I think it's a Francotte. Wild guess, but just look at it!
Barrel extension into standing breech, with Greener-type cross-
bolt, and sideclips, if you please! That's a lot of class for
a boxlock, which is why I think Francotte, or maybe Dumoulin.
Seems too well engineered to simply be a Belgian "trade gun."

11-87, customed stocked by Dave VandenBrand, 26 inch tube, ported by Pro-Port witn Briley extended tubes. Wood is awesome, pics dont do justice........












Sig TT45, made by B. Rizzini, imported by Sig Arms, 32 inch gun, my main clays gun....

Thats me and my Model 21, 26" barrels, cylinder & cylinder, double triggers, extractors, manufactured in 1937. Pheasant hunting near the Missouri Breaks MT (Square Butte in the background) in 2004

outstanding wood....